Abstract No. 473 Analysis of Early Career Section survey data regarding initial certification for interventional radiology

Abstract

The Early Career Section (ECS) group is composed of interventional radiologists who are tasked with providing a hub through which new members of Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) can cultivate a knowledge and resource foundation, network, participate in decision-making, and function as a resource to the SIR Executive Council. The purpose of this study was to gather survey data regarding initial certification from these members and: (1) determine the most used text resources and question banks, (2) determine the highest rated text resources and question banks, and (3) determine the trainee preparedness and overall experience for oral and computerized exams. A survey was sent to all members of the ECS. Over eighty responses were collected from group members. The questions included within the survey sought to gather information about exam preparation for initial certification and encompassed the most common study materials that residents use. The data was then collected, grouped, and analyzed. Of the eighty-three responders from the ECS, 72.8% certified for interventional radiology through the interventional radiology (IR)/diagnostic radiology (DR) certifying exam (that began in 2017) whereas 21% certified through the certificate of added qualification in VIR. The text resources that were most commonly used and had the highest ratings were as follows: Vascular and Interventional Imaging: Case Review Series by Wael E. Saad, Minhaj Khaja, Suresh Vedantham (57 responses), Crack the Core by Prometheus Lionhart (41 responses), and Vascular and Interventional Radiology: The Requisites by John A. Kaufman and Michael J. Lee (39 responses). The question banks that were most commonly used and had the highest ratings were RadPrimer, BoardVitals, Qevlar, Face the Core, and Rock the Boards. The time spent studying for the computerized exam and their corresponding percentages were as follows: 3 to 6 months (16%), 1 to 3 months (52%), and < 1 month (29.3%). Conversely, the time spent studying for the oral exam and their corresponding percentages were as follows: 3 to 6 months (13%), 1 to 3 months (44.2%), and < 1 month (41.6%). Using these resources, 84.9% of responders felt prepared for the computerized exam and 87% for the oral exam. The survey data gathered from the members of the ECS can serve as potent recommendations for physicians-in-training who plan to take these examinations in the coming months. The aforementioned resources were consistently cited as being strong predictors of exam success. Due to the recent changes in residency and fellowship pathways for interventional radiology, consideration of past study methods for board exams is integral.